Often when we hear about a fight between two sides, we already have a bias toward one side, even before we hear the details — whether it’s a fight between two students at school, a battle between Democrats and Republicans or a rivalry between football teams.

This Article of the Day focuses on a struggle between a Native American tribe and an oil pipeline company in North Dakota. With no more details than that, do you already have a sympathy for one side or the other? Explain.

Questions for Comprehension and Analysis

1. What happened to hundreds of Native American families along the Missouri River 50 years ago? Why is this history still relevant?

2. What does a Texas company, Energy Transfer Partners, want to build just north of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservation?

3. Why do the tribe and other protesters oppose the project?

4. What role does the Army Corps of Engineers play in this dispute?

5. What is the stance held by the corps and Energy Transfer Partners?

What Do You Think?

Now that you’ve learned more about the protests in North Dakota, what side do you sympathize with more? What do you think should happen with the proposed pipeline?